[hobbyman]

Hi everybody, I recently bought a 1974 444. Got to use it a little to plow snow, now I think winter is just scared of my mean machine. Anyway the PO welded my the original PTO clutch together :facepalm: and lost all of the linkage and the PTO lever ... WTH. Guess he had the mower going whenever the engine was turning! Bbob to the rescue. I Just picked up a decent looking early production ez adjust clutch from Ebay. Not totally original to my tractor, but I'd like to use this clutch if I can track down the right linkage.

I've been through the FAQ's and searching quite a bit through old posts but didn't see anything about this. Can you guys help me find the PTO lever and linkage that will work with this clutch? I do still have the guide for the rod but that is about it. Were there multiple models that have linkage that would work?

thanks, Ben

 

[Hydriv]

I hope that the clutch you bought off of e-Bay IS an EZ clutch with the big hex nut just behind the fan and I also hope that it is for a Kohler and not an Onan.

Here's how you start.


Get the serial number off of your tractor and then locate the correct Parts Manual in the Library. Use the diagrams as a comparison to what parts are missing from your tractor and then record the part numbers and description on a list. Make sure that the parts work on both the 200 and 400 Series in that book.

Go to the next manual that covers the next group of PIN's and make a new list. Cross-reference the numbers between the two books. Then go to the next book and do it all over again and the next book and the next.

This research on your part will disclose if the PTO lever is the same part number from PIN XXXXXXX to PIN XXXXXXXXXX and the same with all the other bits and pieces. Once you know that, you can easily find what you need on e-Bay just by asking the Seller to disclose the true PIN of the tractor he parted out. There aren't that many parts involved but you want to be sure that you won't have clearance or operational issues that will plague you after you get everything back together. You have the guide so it sounds to me like you need the push/pull rod and all of the bits that are attached to the lever. The clutch may need a throwout fork if it did not come with one.

Those PIN's can be referenced to the CHART in the FAQ's that indicate the year in which those tractors were built.

Does the above do it for you?

 

[hobbyman]

Thanks Hydriv, the clutch does have the big nut and is for a Kohler. And it came with the fork. I will start comparing parts manuals of the different years. I thought this may have been a common knowledge common retrofit thing but I will get back to the manuals.

Cheers, Ben

 

[Hydriv]

It's a rare discussion because very few owners remove these items permanently from their tractors unless they install a foreign engine that cannot support the mechanical PTO. The chances of you finding someone who went through that process of re-installing all of the PTO linkage is slim. Therefore, the best advice I can give is to direct you to the manuals and check part numbers to see how widely used the parts were.

:thumbsup:

 

[hobbyman]

Just thought I would post an update to this post. I have found there are numerous slight variations in the front PTO linkage according to serial number breaks. I checked ebay daily for any part that would fit my '74 444. Nothing came up. One complete linkage setup from a 80's 446 came up on ebay for only $14. Being both tractors were the same short frame and parts break down looked pretty similar I went ahead and got it.

It took me about a day of minor tweaking, but I got the different linkage to work beautifully. The PTO engaging rod fit through my tower, but it was slightly different how it is secured in the tower. The rod is perhaps 1/2" shorter and had only one hole for a roll pin to secure the "bell crank" which hooks to the clutch rod. My original engaging rod used two roll pins, springs and flat bushings to secure the rod end in the tower. To remedy this, I welded a 5/16" threaded end and now use a nylock nut, flat washer, spring and plastic washer to secure the rod. This actually allows me to adust the tension on the engaging lever. The mounting holes in my dash were a little oblong so I cleaned them up and bushed them before putting all of this together.

Next, I found the clutch rod for the onan is very similar, but instead of ending flat where it connects to the clutch, it curves up at almost 90 degrees where it connects to the clutch. Perhaps because the Onan crank sits higher? For my kohler, I simply cut the rod at the bend, ground the ends more flat and rewelded.

The safety interlocks are long gone on this tractor and that is ok for me in the time being. Already, operating this tractor requires thinking about how the components work and requires a certain type of care different from new machines anyway. The nice thing about all this is the machine could still be made fully stock, but now it is fully functional, with parts that were destined for scrap.

May try to snap a photo but I was on a roll and put the battery tray back in. :trink: